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Kaneka Belgium reduces Type 4 tank carbon fiber needs through CSR toughening

The company’s Kane Ace MX liquid core-shell rubber toughener has been found to increase burst strength and mechanical performance while cutting material for H2 pressure vessel production.

Grace Nehls
Edited by:  Grace Nehls
Senior Managing Editor, ÂÌñÏ×ÆÞ and Products Finishing

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Figure 1. Burst test results (BisA epoxy/reactive diluent/anhydride) (for illustration only). Source (All Figures) | Kaneka Belgium NV

 (Westerlo), a subsidiary of Kaneka Corp., has developed Kane Ace MX liquid core-shell rubber (CSR) toughener. This advancement in resin toughening technologies aims to remove the traditional trade-offs — between light weight, strength or affordability — that engineers face when constructing Type 4 hydrogen pressure vessels.

Kane Ace MX features a rubber core surrounded by a polymer shell that improves mechanical performances and ensures compatibility with different matrix systems. This CSR is then pre-dispersed in resin. Because of its liquid nature, it remains uniformly distributed during handling, formulation and curing. This makes it straightforward to integrate into existing manufacturing processes.

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Figure 2. Burst pressure versus CFRP weight (for illustration only).

Recent burst tests on Type 4 hydrogen vessels have shown that incorporating 7.5% Kane Ace MX CSR into a BisA epoxy/anhydride formulation can significantly increase burst strength. Separate pressure cycle tests have further confirmed the possibility of reducing carbon fiber while maintaining vessel strength as well. For manufacturers, this could translate into material savings, lower weight and reduced overall cost.

Beyond pressure vessels, Kane Ace MX toughening technology has proven its effectiveness in different kind of composites and other applications such as adhesives, castings and syntactic foams. The combined benefits of extended fatigue resistance, reduced material consumption and weight savings also contribute to reduced overall carbon footprint, aligning with sustainability goals of future energy systems.

This post is courtesy of the ÂÌñÏ×ÆÞ and AZL Aachen GmbH media partnership.

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